Our Blog
We’ve been recruiting engineering and technical professionals long enough to have acquired some expertise in the area. And, we believe there are benefits to sharing it. Come back often and gain some leverage of your own.

Advice From the Pros: 9 Tips for Making Your Resume Stand Out
Our company reviews over half a million resumes each year, so it’s safe to say we’ve seen our fair share of good resumes, bad resumes, and resumes that fall squarely in between. While the bad resumes tend to be that way for various reasons, the good ones almost always have a few things in common. […]

8 Secrets to an Attention-Grabbing, Job-Landing Resume
Six seconds. That’s not a lot of time to catch a reader’s attention, but that’s all you’ve got when it comes to a recruiter reviewing a resume. I thought it was time to share what really can make a resume stand out. Here are the eight secrets to writing an attention-grabbing, job-landing resume!

Planting SEEDS: 5 Ways to Improve Your Company Culture [Infographic]
A thriving culture will attract the best talent, increase retention, and improve performance. Here are five SEEDS you can plant within your organization to create a great work environment!

Must-Reads: 11 Books to Motivate and Inspire Yourself — and Your Team
Whether you’re looking for new ways to think about business, insights into better managing your career, or inspirational stories that change the way you look at life, our staff has shared some of their favorite motivational, leadership, and business books to put on your reading list. Here are some of our recommended reads!

Slow and Steady May Win the Race, But What’s It Doing to Your Hiring Process?
“Oh, we know what we’re looking for.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that phrase. Sure, you have an idea of who you want to hire, but this isn’t always the best way to approach the hiring process. Here are nine best practices to improve and expedite your hiring process.

12 Affordable Ways to Boost Employee Engagement
If you’ve been worried about employee engagement lately, you’re in good company. Seventy-eight percent of business leaders say engagement is an urgent priority. But when companies sit down to discuss engagement, all they can think about is the expense. However, you don’t need to blow your budget to improve employee engagement. Just consider the following 12 strategies!

Promoting From Within: 3 Traits to Look for in Your Ideal Candidate
Turnover is almost becoming an epidemic, with the number of people quitting their jobs reaching an all-time high in 16 years. Part of the problem is lack of career opportunities. If you’re able to identify your top performers, and then take action immediately, you may just catch them before they head out the door. Here are the three things to look for when choosing a team member to promote from within.

How to Ask for Help Without Looking Helpless
When problems arise, we let panic set in and allow our basic instinct to take over. It’s fight or flight, which often leaves us defensive or defeated — neither of which are the best way to bring something to management. Before barging into your manager’s office or sending off a convoluted email, we suggest you do the following.

Job Got You Down? 5 Strategies to Improving Your Happiness at Work
Ask almost anyone about happiness in the workplace, and they’ll likely tell you it’s tied to money, management, or that professional nemesis every office seems to have. But they’d be wrong. Happiness has nothing to do with the job itself — nor does it have anything to do with a boss or a colleague. It has everything to do with you. How you go about tapping into your happiness is entirely up to you, but what we’ve found that works best is the following.

What Is Employee Engagement? And Why It Matters to Business
Just because someone is a good employee, it doesn’t make him or her an engaged one. Engaged workers are those people who actually buy into your goals and objectives. They’re committed to not just their job but your company, and will do almost anything to help you achieve success. But that’s not all. Engaged workers also provide these six benefits.

You Are “Crushing It!”
A special thank you message from CEO Geno Cutolo to our valued employees and Talent on Employee Appreciation Day. Thank you for all that you do!

Can’t Offer Raises? 9 Alternatives to the Traditional Salary Increase
It’s a situation every manager dreads. You have to tell each of your team members that there’ll be no salary increases for the foreseeable future. Far from an enviable position, but one that does come with a silver lining. Money isn’t the only perk that motivates staff. So, the question remains: when you can’t offer people an annual raise, what’s a good alternative? Here are nine ideas.

Ready for a Raise? 9 Steps for Negotiating a Salary Increase
Many people who deserve a raise are also the least likely to ask for one. In fact, go to any company and you’ll find at least one workhorse who completely underestimates his or her own worth. While discussing pay can be downright frightening, it shouldn’t keep you from asking for a salary increase. Try these nine negotiation strategies to make the discussion that much easier.

How to Recharge Without Going on Vacation
If you’re feeling a bit burnt out and need to recharge, there are plenty of ways to do this from the comfort of your own home, or even the office. Don’t worry about packing a bag; the following can help you reinvigorate your mind and body.

Top 5 Tips to Setting Competitive Salaries to Attract and Retain Talent
Ask any business where salary ranks in importance for attracting and retaining talent, and you’ll likely get a range of responses. Whatever your opinion, it’s still essential to know whether you’re offering a competitive salary. Employees talk to employees at other companies, and they certainly can do the necessary research to determine if you’re paying them what they’re worth. To ensure you’re setting compensation at a competitive level, we recommend you do the following before posting your next job opening.

8 Steps to Becoming an Even Better Mentor
We all know mentorship is important. It’s one of the most effective ways of developing – and retaining – new talent within an organization. If someone has recently asked you to become a mentor, or you’re currently working with a mentee, here are steps that will help ensure you’re both getting the most out of the relationship.

How to Find the Perfect Mentor — and Why It’s So Important to Your Career
Unfortunately, many people aren’t sure exactly how to go about finding a mentor — and an ideal one, at that. They start there searching thinking they need a seasoned professional who’s been in the business for years. While this is often the case, your choice in mentor isn’t about age so much as who will best suit your needs — and suit your needs at that particular time. So, we suggest you consider the following when looking for someone to help you grow your career.

Frequently Asked Questions About Working with a Recruiter
Many job seekers overlook a potentially useful job search option: recruiters. They genuinely want the best for you, as a candidate. They also want the best for their client, your potential employer — which is why it’s smart to cultivate a relationship with a “search partner” that can help you with your hunt. But before you do, we thought we’d clear up some of the most commonly asked questions about recruiting.

Top 7 Recruiting & Retention Trends to Watch in 2018
With record low unemployment rates and multiple options for employment, the war for talent continues to intensify. To remain competitive, successful employers are embracing the following seven trends.

New Year’s Resolutions Aren’t Just for Your Employees
As we welcome in the New Year, the time couldn’t be better for employers to set some resolutions around retention and recruitment. After all, employees are busy making a few of their own, and one resolution in particular could have quite an impact on business. Sixty-two percent of workers made plans last year to change their professional lives. You have an opportunity to make sure your best employees don’t follow through on these resolutions by resolving to set your own.

Your New Year’s Resolution: Find a New Job
According to a recent report on current job trends, more than 6 million positions are still waiting to be filled. If you’re among the 62 percent of people who are planning to make a professional change this New Year, you may be wondering how to make it happen. The following tips are often a good place to start!

Let’s Take a Look Back at 2017
Check out our (short but sweet) 2017 highlight reel. 2017 was a busy year!

How Volunteering Can Help You Land You a Job
Volunteering helps non-profit organizations deliver their mission to improve the community. In turn, it helps you feel useful and productive, thus improving your confidence and self-worth. Making a difference in the lives of others is rewarding and life-changing.

Corporate Giving: 7 Initiatives That Won’t Break the Bank
Over the last decade or so, the business community has seen quite the surge in corporate-giving initiatives. After all, corporate social responsibility (CSR) naturally improves a company’s image. If you’re not a big corporation, which often has an entire team focused on CSR initiatives, you may be wondering what you can do to help others. Finding ways to give back can take a lot of creativity, but the following may help produce some ideas for your company.

How to Design Workplace Philanthropy Programs That Improve Retention
Creating a workplace philanthropy program is one of the best ways to improve a company’s reputation in the community. But workplace philanthropy, and the reputation that comes with it, also does a lot for a company’s ability to both recruit and retain talent. Learn how your organization can create philanthropic initiatives that benefit both the business and the community-at-large.

8 Tips to Keep Co-Worker Gift-Giving Merry and Bright
Whether giving a gift to a coworker-turned-friend or participating in an office gift exchange, you’re probably left wondering what to buy. After all, holiday gift-giving in the workplace can feel like a minefield — especially for those new to the job. If gift exchanges are allowed in your organization, these eight tips are often a good place to start.

A Company’s Guide to Holiday Employee Gift-Giving
Deciding what to give employees is often the hardest part of the holidays — second only to how much you should spend. While giving gifts to your team isn’t mandatory, nor is it allowed in all organizations, you probably want to show them just how much you care. Here are some ideas on how to get gift-giving right this time of year.

Business Etiquette: Our Guide for Navigating Any Office Event
About this time of year, a bevy of articles hit the web giving advice on how to best navigate the office holiday party — a party often filled with its fair share of faux pas. But instead of just focusing on this often-awkward celebration, and how to avoid being “that guy” at the bash, we thought it might be best to provide a guide on how to handle yourself at any business event.
We Challenge You to Random Acts of Kindness for World Kindness Day
Being kind doesn’t cost a thing. In fact, investing in some kindness can provide you quite the return. Research shows that altruism can actually make you happier. It’s also been known to make you feel stronger, calmer, and more energized. Talk about getting a jump on the day. Besides, engagement in the workplace, which comes […]

National Boss’s Day 2017: Gift Ideas for Almost Every Boss
Business etiquette tells us gift giving in the office traditionally comes from a boss to an employee. You should never feel obligated to purchase a gift for a superior. Besides, appearances being what they are, even the most innocent of gifts could seem to colleagues as an attempt to “buy” your way into someone’s good […]

The 2017 Minnesota Manufacturing Awards
Manufacturers from across the state of Minnesota gathered yesterday evening at the 2017 Minnesota Manufacturing Awards. Minnesota Business Magazine hosts this event each year to recognize the outstanding achievements of this vital, though often behind-the-scenes industry and its leaders. Pro Staff and Ware Technology Services, Atterro sister companies, were proud to sponsor this event for the fourth […]

Happy 35th Anniversary – To Us!
This week marks 35 years in business for Atterro, Ware Technology Services’ parent company. Our founder, Jeff Dobbs, started this company in 1982 with nothing but core values; integrity, hard work, professionalism, world class service, community involvement, and fun are just a few of those values that still guide our company today. Thank you to […]

It’s National Staffing Employee Week – Thank You!
Dear Valued Talent, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the outstanding work you do every day. Talented employees like you create the success of each of the companies we serve across multiple industries and drive positive results for all of us. On behalf of the entire Atterro organization and […]

Are You Ready for National Staffing Employee Week [September 18-24]?
Staffing Employee Week – September 18-24 – is the perfect time to acknowledge the contributions contingent workers make to your organization. We all want to feel that we matter. This need is just as real for temporary employees as it is for traditional employees. Here are a couple ways to show your appreciation for their […]

A Look Back on 2016
Happy 2017! We hope you had a happy holiday season. We’re excited for what the coming year has in store! Before we get too far into the new year, we want to take a moment to reflect on 2016. After reviewing many of the memories captured in photos, we decided to put a video together […]

Celebrating Minnesota Manufacturers
Find out how we’re celebrating manufacturing in Minnesota this month and get a few ideas for how you can join us!

Contingent Workforce Management Solutions (Staffing Industry Analysts)
Contract labor has become increasingly popular, yet it also presents a number of challenges. Joshua Smith, VP of Business Development with Atterro, Ware Technology Service’s parent company, recently wrote an article for Staffing Industry Analysts with contingent workforce management solutions.

Cross-Training Tips (PKWY Magazine)
If you are looking to improve your cross-training program, check out this article published in PKWY Magazine with 6 quick tips.

2016 Midyear Hiring Forecast Released
Now that we’re in the second half of 2016, it’s a good time to get a pulse on hiring for the remainder of the year. Check out the key findings from CareerBuilder’s Midyear Forecast.

Managing Your Workforce During the Busy Summer Months
The kids are out of school, the weather is warming up, and the beaches are calling. Employees will also soon be taking time off. Are you ready?

Tips for Hiring New Grads (The Staffing Stream)
It’s graduation season! If you’ve been thinking about hiring a new grad, check out this article published in The Staffing Stream with 3 mistakes to avoid.

Hiring Trends: The Rise of the Contingent Workforce
The traditional workforce is changing. Today’s average mix of contingent workers has grown to 18%. Discover how businesses are adapting to this trend.

Using Technology to Communicate at Work
There are many ways to communicate at work. Before you shoot off an email, text, or instant message, make sure you’re using technology appropriately.

How to Keep It Professional While Still Being Yourself at Work
Being yourself at work while staying professional can be challenging. Use these tips to help overcome this obstacle.

Turn Up Your Motivation
Motivation is like a cup of coffee. It starts hot, but it can cool off unless you keep freshening it. Check out our tips for staying motivated at work.

6 Tips for Hiring Seasonal Help
Seasonal staffing can be challenging, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. Here are a few of our top tips when it comes to hiring seasonal short-term help.

Master Job Hunting
It’s an employee’s job market and many professionals are looking for work. To master job hunting and land your next job, follow these proven strategies!

8 Networking Secrets
Your next job likely won’t come from a job board, rather through your professional network. How do you build a network? Check out our 8 networking secrets!

How to Get Noticed by Potential Employers (Part 3: Interviewing)
You did it! The hiring manager chose you as a top candidate for the job. Now it’s time to stand out during the interview.

How to Leverage Social Media in Your Job Search
Learning how to leverage social media in your job search can be tricky, but we’ve got some useful tips to help navigate the employment field.

How to Get Noticed by Potential Employers (Part 2: Applying for Jobs)
When applying for jobs, you can be sure that other applicants are using everything in their arsenals to land the job – and you need to do the same. Here’s how!

How to Get Noticed by Potential Employers (Part 1: First Steps)
The work to find a job begins long before you send your resume to a potential employer. Here are a few first steps every job seeker should take.

Increase Your Online Presence Through LinkedIn
If you’re looking to increase your LinkedIn presence, learn how to take full advantage of LinkedIn and this social platform to find success.

Smart Questions to Ask During a Job Interview
Asking good questions during an interview will show that you’re interested and prepared. What qualifies as a “good question?” Here are a few ideas!

5 Tips for Making the Most of a Staffing Partner
A staffing agency provides access to top talent and makes the hiring process more efficient. Here are 5 steps you can take to maximize the benefits.

7 Ways to Create for Career Growth
If you’re looking for the next rung on the “career ladder” and want to get noticed by management, here are some things to keep in mind.

Kicking Off 2016: How to Stay Healthy in the New Year
Use these 9 tips to help you start 2016 out right and to stay healthy in the new year.

First Day on the Job: How to Make a Great Impression
Starting a new job brings a mix of emotions from excitement to anxiety. Follow these tips to make a great impression on your first day.

Tips for Designing an Employee Wellness Program
Employee wellness programs are not just nice to have, they are proven to improve productivity and increase morale. Here are a few ideas for your workplace.

5 Things to Do During Interview Prep
In order to nail an interview, you need to strategize and practice. Follow these 5 tips to ensure you are confident and well prepared!

10 Ways Employers Can Empower Employees
If you want to be recognized as top employer, it’s imperative to embrace ongoing professional development. Read our 10 doable ideas!

Top Tips for Negotiating a Job Offer
Are you ready to talk money? And possibly even negotiate salary? Use these strategies to help you get the pay you want and deserve.

Break the Ice: 15 Conversation-Starters
Networking is important, but it can be intimidating. If you struggle with starting a conversation, consider these 15 icebreakers.

7 Great Employee Traits
Finding an outstanding employee requires looking beyond skills, education, and experience. Discover ideal traits and how to identify them.

How to List Contract Work on a Resume
You may be wondering if contract work has a place on your resume. It does! Learn three tips for listing temp work on your resume.

Job Seeker Tips: Cleaning Up Social Media Sites
There’s a good chance that employers will check out your digital footprint before offering a job. Use these tips to clean up your social media accounts.

A Resume Checklist for Employers
Tasked with reviewing a stack of resumes and feeling overwhelmed? Use this resume checklist as a guide to make the process painless.

Questions to Ask When Hiring for Culture
To attract and retain the right people, employers are encouraged to create a meaningful work culture. Learn how to hire to protect and enhance this culture.

Become a Natural Networker in 6 Steps
Networking events are a great way to advance your career, but they can be awkward. Follow these tips to become a natural networker.

A Resume Rule You Shouldn’t Break
You don’t need to be William Shakespeare to compose a solid resume. You do, however, need to follow this resume rule.

Meet Our Senior Leaders: Laura Kelley- SVP of Professional Services, Atterro
For the next few months, we will be profiling leaders of all levels at Atterro. We hope these insights allow you to better get to know our leadership team, and use their advice and tips in your searches for talent or a job.

Short-Term Hiring Tips
When seasonal demands require increasing your workforce, consider these hiring tips to ensure that you have a dependable short-term workforce.

10 Benefits You’ll Only Get By Working with a Recruiter
A recruiter provides a number of benefits for job seekers. Wondering what you’re missing? Check out our top 10 reasons to work with a recruiter.

5 Takeaways from the Art of Recruiting Docufilm
Shannon Sanderson, senior creative recruiter, was recently featured in a documentary about the recruiting profession. Get the highlights and watch the film.

Soft Skills You Need to Succeed at Work
Learn why soft skills matter – often, even more so than technical skills – and which soft skills most employers look for in an employee.

Our Docufilm Debut: A Peek Inside the World of Recruiting
One of our senior recruiters was recently featured in a documentary about the recruiting profession! Learn about the film and watch a snippet.

Meet Our Senior Leaders: Michelle Decker- Hunter Hamilton
For the next few months, we will be profiling leaders of all levels at Atterro. We hope these insights allow you to better get to know our leadership team, and use their advice and tips in your searches for talent or a job.

Optimizing LinkedIn: Our Top Tips
Learn simple ways to optimize your LinkedIn profile so that your “online resume” is professional and gets noticed by hiring managers.

How to Find a Job with a Recruiter
Don’t job hunt alone! Learn how to work with a recruiter to get expert advice and access to jobs you would miss on your own.

An Overview of Contract, Contract-to-Hire, and Direct Hire Employment
Learn about the three types of employment – contract , contract-to-hire, and direct hire – to better determine which type is best for you.

Uncover Exciting Opportunities in Manufacturing (and Debunk Two Common Myths)
Discover why you shouldn’t underestimate the opportunities that manufacturing has to offer – and learn about the upcoming Minnesota Tour of Manufacturing.

5 Ways to Research an Employer Online
When preparing for an interview, it’s important to learn more about the company, what questions to ask, and if they are a good match for you. Here’s how!

Tips for Leading a Multi-Generational Team
Today’s workforce includes multiple generations – each with their own work styles and values. Learn how to effectively motivate a multi-generational team.

Seven Ways to Renew Your Job Satisfaction
Feeling “blah” about your job? These seven tips will help you breathe new life into your job and achieve greater job satisfaction.

Ten Ways to Improve Your Time Management
Get more done in less time with these 10 time management tips based on Benjamin Franklin’s proven principles.

The Small Business Outsourcing Process
Learn when and how to go about small business outsourcing to grow your business and strengthen your position in the market.

5 Ways to Stay Healthy at Work
Avoid feeling rundown and zoned out by implementing these five health tips while on the job – they’ll help you handle stress and perform at your peak!

Solutions to Common Work-Life Balance Challenges
To help you feel satisfied on the job and at home, read these seven common work-life balance challenges and how you can overcome.

6 Ways Volunteering Can Benefit Your Job Search
Volunteering helps non-profit organizations improve the community. It’s also rewarding – and can boost your career and job search. Here are 6 ways!

Top Five New Employee Onboarding Best Practices
Follow these employee onboarding best practices to ensure that new hires have everything they need to be successful.

Ten ways to manage your time better
Benjamin Franklin was an author, printer, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, activist, statesman and diplomat. Talk about a multi-tasker! To cope with everything he had going, Franklin developed a list of habits he knew could bring about positive change in his life and he set a goal to nurture one habit each week for a year.